Woman left blind and deaf loses case against GP

A Cairns woman left blind and deaf due to an infection has lost her bid to sue her doctor.

Nancy Mules suffered a bout of cryptococcal meningitis in 2008, leaving her in need of 24-hour care.

The 48 year old blamed her GP Kaylene Ferguson for not referring her to a specialist in time, and launched action in the Supreme Court in Cairns to claim several million dollars in damages.

However, Justice Jim Henry dismissed the claim, saying Ms Mules's symptoms and a CT scan supported a conclusion that her condition was caused by a musculoskeletal problem, not one in her central nervous system.

He said while what happened to Ms Mules was "tragic", Dr Ferguson had not breached her duty of care.